Sheet material cutting devices are known in the art. One such device is described in the U.S. Pat. No. to Keeton, 3,213,736 for cutting mats. The latter mat cutting device employs an elongated tie bar which is supported by end located arms. The arms in turn are pivotally mounted on a working board to lift the tie bar with its cutter elements and place a mat underneath on the working surface. The cutting elements slide along a rail located in the tie bar and are disposed on opposite sides of the tie bar to respectively provide either a straight or beveled cut.
Another sheet material cutting apparatus is described in the patent to Matthew, U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,495. In this patent, a key-shaped cutting arrangement is shown to provide guide surfaces, one of which supports a cutting block. The cutting block is mounted to enclose this guide surface. The material to be cut abuts against a stop plate carrying a scale and a scale is moved along with the cutting block itself.
In the U.S. Pat. No. to Broides, 3,779,119 a mat cutting apparatus is described wherein a cutting element is mounted on a guide rail. Other U.S. patents of interest and describing various devices for cutting sheet material are Wensink, 2,696,867; Melchor, 2,531,149 in connection with a floor tile cutting device; and Katz, 3,576,148 which describes a device for forming a strip mat.